Pictures of You (The Cure song)

"Pictures of You"
Single by the Cure
from the album Disintegration
Released19 March 1990
Genre
Length
  • 7:29 (album version)[1]
  • 4:48 (7-inch)
LabelFiction
Composers
LyricistRobert Smith
Producers
The Cure singles chronology
"Lovesong"
(1989)		 "Pictures of You"
(1990)		 "Never Enough"
(1990)
Music video
"Pictures of You" on YouTube

"Pictures of You" is a song by English rock band the Cure. It was released on 19 March 1990 by Fiction Records as the fourth and final single from the band's eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). The song has a single version which is a shorter edit of the album version. The single reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart.

There are also two different remixes on two UK 12-inch singles, and other singles released around the world, one of which later appeared on Mixed Up as the Extended Dub Mix and differs significantly from the album version in arrangement in that incorporates wholly original drum and bass arrangements. The other is an extended remix of the original album version which, at 7:59, runs slightly longer than the album version. There is also an edit which was released on 12-inch in the US, titled "extended remix" as in the European and Australasian releases, but which runs for 6:40 rather than 7:59.

In 2011, the song was voted number 283 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.[5] In 2019, Billboard ranked the song number nine on their list of the 40 greatest Cure songs,[6] and in 2023, Mojo ranked the song number 11 on their list of the 30 greatest Cure songs.[7]

Background

According to interviews, the inspiration of the song came when a fire broke loose in Robert Smith's home. After that day, Smith was going through the remains and came across his wallet which had pictures of his wife, Mary. The cover of the single is one of the pictures. The same picture was used as the cover of the "Charlotte Sometimes" single, but that image was heavily warped and distorted.

The song is composed in the key of A major.[8]

Music video

The Tim Pope–directed video was shot using three Super-8 cameras at the foot of Buachaille Etive Mòr in Glencoe, Scotland, during the February 1990 "week of the big snow", with Robert Smith mentioning that he had never been colder before.[9]

Notable cover versions

Track listing

7-inch single (1)

  1. "Pictures of You" (Remix) – 4:46
  2. "Last Dance" (live) – 4:42[12]

7-inch single (2)

  1. "Pictures of You" (Remix) – 4:46
  2. "Prayers for Rain" (live) – 4:48

12-inch single (1)

  1. "Pictures of You" (Extended version) – 8:07[13]
  2. "Last Dance" (live) – 4:41
  3. "Fascination Street" (live) – 5:23

12-inch single (2)

  1. "Pictures of You" (Strange mix) – 6:45[14]
  2. "Prayers for Rain" (live) – 4:48
  3. "Disintegration" (live) – 7:54

CD single

  1. "Pictures of You" (Remix) – 4:46
  2. "Last Dance" (live) – 4:45
  3. "Fascination Street" (live) – 5:19
  4. "Prayers for Rain" (live) – 4:48
  5. "Disintegration" (live) – 7:54

CD single (2)

  1. "Pictures of You" (Remix) – 4:46
  2. "Last Dance" (live) – 4:45
  3. "Fascination Street" (live) – 5:19

Charts

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[15] 89
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 51
Germany (GfK)[17]18
Ireland (IRMA)[18]9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19]77
UK Singles (Official Charts)[20]24
US Billboard Hot 100[21]71
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[22]19

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[23] Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Galore: The Singles 1987-1997 - The Cure | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  2. ↑ Dalton, Stephen (9 February 2021). "The Cure: a guide to their best albums". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  3. ↑ Apter, Jeff (2009). Never Enough: The Story of The Cure. Omnibus Press. p. 334. ISBN 978-0-85712-024-3.
  4. ↑ "100 Best Albums". Apple Music. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time". Rolling Stone. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (29 March 2019). "The Cure's 40 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "The Cure's 30 Greatest Songs Ranked". Mojo. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Pictures of You". Musicnotes.
  9. ↑ "Video Curiosities". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "TAC – Pictures of You". Archived from the original on 16 May 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  11. ↑ 'Pictures of You' TAC advertising campaign launched Archived 12 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Recorded live at Wembley, July '89
  13. ↑ "Discogs: Cure, The – Pictures Of You". Discogs. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  14. ↑ This mix later appeared on the "Mixed Up" album as "Extended Dub Mix"
  15. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  16. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 18. 5 May 1990. p. IV–V.
  17. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  18. ↑ "Pictures of You | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  19. ↑ "The Cure – Pictures of You" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 14/4/1990 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  21. ↑ "The Cure Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  22. ↑ "The Cure Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  23. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – The Cure – Pictures of You". Radioscope. Retrieved 24 January 2026. Type Pictures of You in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  24. ↑ "British single certifications – Cure – Pictures of You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 June 2023. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Pictures of You Cure in the "Search:" field.
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